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Kosovo Leader Halts Bill Creating Fully-Fledged Army – Reports

© AP Photo / Members of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) attend a ceremony marking the 19th anniversary of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Commander Adem Jashari death, in capital Pristina, Kosovo in this photo taken on Sunday, March 5, 2017
Members of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) attend a ceremony marking the 19th anniversary of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Commander Adem Jashari death, in capital Pristina, Kosovo in this photo taken on Sunday, March 5, 2017 - Sputnik International
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Kosovo President Hasim Taci said Friday he had asked parliament speaker Kadri Veseli to take off the table a bill that seeks to create a regular army and promised constitutional changes first, media reported.

BELGRADE (Sputnik) — A Kosovo army has been a sensitive issue for the region’s ethnic Serbian lawmakers who have been trying to block it. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, which was declared in 2008, neither does Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Spain, Greece or some other countries.

"Today I sent a letter to Veseli asking him to take the draft law off their agenda until our institutions and strategic partners give their full approval for us to do this through constitutional changes," Taci told reporters in Pristina, as quoted by Radio Television of Serbia.

Members of the Kosovo Security Force. File photo - Sputnik International
Belgrade Might Turn to Moscow to Counter Threat of Breakaway Kosovo Army
Last month, Taci sent his initiative to transform the lightly-armed Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into a fully-fledged army to the parliament, raising concerns among allies in Washington.

A US deputy assistant secretary of state asked the president in March to retract the bill, saying the KSF transformation should not bypass constitutional amendments or an inclusive political process.

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